Apple got “Back to the Mac” today in a big way at their Cupertino media event, and as expected, iLife ’11 was finally introduced after months of speculation. The company chose to highlight three components of the updated suite, beginning with iPhoto ’11.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs gave the floor to Phil Schiller for a demonstration of the company’s new iPhoto ’11, part of the iLife ’11 suite announced Wednesday. Among the updated features are new full-screen modes, Facebook enhancements, a simpler way to e-mail photos, new slideshow templates and big advances in book printing and letterpress cards.
Now that full-screen apps will be a major part of next summer’s Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, Apple has built some of that functionality into iPhoto ’11 with new full-screen modes. Now you can browse, edit and share your photos full screen, losing the distraction of other desktop applications, the menu bar and even the program itself. Take advantage of every inch of your display and go from picture to picture while basking in full-screen greatness.
“iPhoto and Facebook are now even better friends,” claims the iPhoto ’11 web page, making it easier than ever to post photos and even update your profile picture. Share that amazing vacation by publishing photos directly to your Wall or to an existing album. You’ll even see comments left by friends, right in iPhoto.
E-mailing photos is also easier than ever in iPhoto -- no more bouncing from your e-mail application to your pictures folder and then back again, now you can create and send beautiful messages without having to leave iPhoto at all. The program works with popular e-mail services such as MobileMe, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Windows Live Hotmail and AOL.
No iPhoto refresh would be complete without new slideshows, and iLife ’11 has ‘em. New animated themes include Holiday Mobile, Places and Reflections, giving your photos more movement than ever before.
Finally, iPhoto ’11 gains some slick new ways to create books and even letterpress cards. Building your book starts with a dynamic Theme browser where each theme is revealed in a carousel, complete with the images that you’ve selected. Pick a theme and an even smarter Autoflow instantly goes to work to create your best book ever -- then print it with more customization than ever before. Apple is also offering letterpress cards, available in 15 beautifully crafted themes, complete with matching envelopes.
iPhoto ’11 is part of the new iLife ’11 suite, available today for only $49 for a single-user edition or $79 for a family pack.
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